LIME SLURRY PRESSURE INJECTION TAMES EXPANSIVE CLAYS

Shrinking or swelling soils under foundations inflict at least 2.3 billion dollars per year in damages to houses, buildings, roads, and pipelines. This article presents a promising and relatively inexpensive solution to many to these unstable soil problems -- lime slurry pressure injection (LSPI). A lime slurry is pumped into the soil under pressure, forming a network of interconnecting, sheet- like seams. These seams act as moisture barriers, preventing the movement of moisture either into or out of the soil. Since the soil's moisture content is now constant, moisture- induced swelling or shrinkage of soils is eliminated. For the past five years, LSPI has been used extensively throughout the North Texas area and other states. LSPI is used with a slab-on-grade foundation, where structural solutions to expansive clay soils are not feasible. /AUTHOR/